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When the reports came out with the latest troubles for Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon — who was already facing a year’s suspension and then got nabbed for a DUI — someone on Twitter suggested that he could get advice from Tyrann Mathieu after Mathieu’s own road of redemption. Mathieu quickly dismissed that.

“@Cryan215: Josh Gordon needs to start hanging out with @Mathieu_Era” oh no , I am still in recovery my self

“Me having been through it and having a little bit of experience with that, I don’t think anybody in the world could possibly tell him anything,” Mathieu said. “No one could tell me anything when I was going through it; I had to figure it out for myself. Hopefully he will get the point. Hopefully he will get the message, but most of the time it takes for people to hit rock bottom for them to start believing in their self and start seeking help. A lot of people can reach out to you but that doesn’t mean you always take that help and take that advice. He just has to want it for himself.”

Mathieu, as we has been shown a few times, figured it out himself. He has told the story about hitting rock bottom during a night in jail that made him realize he better fix his life.

“You have to weigh your pros and your cons,” Mathieu said. “What do you want to be in life and who do you not want to be in life? You have to add all of those things up. I’m pretty sure who you want to be in life will weigh a lot more than who you don’t want to be in life. Hopefully he can get that. I’m still young myself; I don’t know too much about it but I do know that it takes a lot to look in that mirror and fix yourself.”

12 Responses
to “Mathieu’s Gordon view comes from own journey”

Wow, that was as raw and honest as one can get….the honesty in Tyrann’s statement, is exactly why people gravitate to him. He’s honest in a very humble way, unlike a lot of big name athletes. What a class act!

It is reassuring that Mathieu realizes he is not out of the woods yet, and is in no position to help others. He has his own fight he is fighting.

Its only been a couple years that he has been on the straight and narrow.

Glad he sees it that way, and is staying humble.

Mathieu has to focus on himself. If Chris Carter wants to save the world that is Chris Carter’s choice, but regardless of Chris Carter’s opinions, its not every person’s job with an addiction history to go out and help others. They have their own battles to fight.

A tip of the Cardinals’ wing to Tyrann Mathieu! He tells us that when PP took him in, TM was already ready to go. Mr. Mathieu’s comment that a person has to hit bottom before they can help themselves is enlightened and until they are ready to listen, reaching out is just a gesture. Extremely insightful that TM immediately declined “hanging out” w/ Mr. Gordon to help him. The other obvious alcoholic/addict is also on the Browns team: drinking straight from the bottle, having a bottle in arms length, saying “we only had a couple”, and of course the coupe de gras of a rolled up dollar bill in a bathroom setting. Some rookies were asked to name all the things you can do with a paper clip and the obvious wrong answers are ‘pick a lock’ or make a ‘roach clip’. I can’t think of anything positive you can do with a rolled up dollar bill. It’s not about getting caught, it’s about who you are and what you want to be. Well spoken Tyrann, you are a continuing joy to follow as a fan. That goes for Michael Floyd as well.

Darren-
I liked your Tree article as it also will define what the “dog days” of the NFL summer mean. Have you discussed what the expansion of the building is for? Assuming they are finally making the weight room bigger.
Thanks

each time i hear or read about him just impresses…one point i thought him too small,slow and damaged goods with his history,just shows what i know and the amazing heights determined people can reach,stay healthy and keep improving yourself.

I don’t claim to be an expert at much of anything on this earth but sadly I consider myself an expert when it comes to addiction/poor choices, (plus that is what young Marines do, drink, drink drink! Most, but not all of them!) I gave up alcohol 19 years ago and Tyrann has the two most important factors down pat! A) No rehab in the world will do any good until the “addict” is truly ready to quit and truly wants the help, and B) It is an everyday battle that is fought every day, one day at a time! The day I said that’s it, no more, I quit that day cold Turkey, no intervention, no rehab, no support groups, and not a single relapse, and I believe the only reason I was successful is because I hit the so called “rock bottom”, and I made the decision to quit, nobody else but me. On a positive note to Tyrann, your daily battles get easier, and easier as time goes by, at this point I have no desire to drink, and I rally don’t see what I saw in it, It has been 19 years but I can still remember how nasty beer tastes, downright disgusting taste to me, even now when I go to a friends cookout or to a bar the smell of beer makes me ill, I just can’t see what I saw in it, or where the desire came from, never did like the taste or the smell of it!! I also disagree with the old saying ” your an alcoholic for the rest of your life, you will be an alcoholic until you die no matter how long it has been since your last drink. These pundits who say there is no cure…WRONG!!! I cured it by not drinking anymore, 19 years, no alcohol equals CURED in my book. If someone stuttered real bad most of there life, and one day 19-20 years ago the stuttering stopped and he has not stuttered through a single word since…is that not CURED??? Tyrann is on the right path and he seems to have his head attached in the right direction now and is on the path to recovery and even more success both on and off the field!

The Josh Gordon thing is such a shame because he is a young human being AND capable of such awesome achievement on the football field. His substance abuse problems could destroy both if he does not get control of himself. For these same reasons AND because I am a Cardinals fan, I am so happy to see the Honey Badger on the track he is / has been on since coming into the NFL. And as they say, one day at a time. Just keep taking control of your life and moving ahead one glorious day at a time.